Cliff Notes – Completely free streaming service adds ‘bingeable’ new drama perfect for Pride Month
- Freely, a new free streaming service in the UK, offers a variety of LGBTQ+ content, including the recently launched drama What It Feels Like For A Girl, based on Paris Lees’ memoir.
- The series has received critical acclaim, with reviews highlighting its engaging storytelling and representation of trans experiences, making it a timely addition for Pride Month celebrations.
Completely free streaming service adds ‘bingeable’ new drama perfect for Pride Month
If you want to celebrate Pride Month by bingeing an inspiring, funny LGBTQ+ TV series, you shouldn’t have to pay a subscription fee to do it.
Fortunately, there are a handful of free streaming services out there that won’t cost you a penny. Tubi is one of these, and boasts 97 million users, and Pluto TV is also a popular option.
Freely, meanwhile, has a huge catalogue of LGBTQ+ stories to stream, from inspiring documentaries to heartwarming comedy. And this month, it’s added a new coming-of-age drama: What It Feels Like For A Girl.
The eight-parter is based on the memoir of award-winning author and trailblazing trans rights campaigner Paris Lees, chronicling her tumultuous upbringing in the 2000s.
What It Feels Like For A Girl landed on BBC Three, BBC iPlayer, and Freely on June 3. The series follows Byron (played by Ellis Howard), who, desperate to break free from his small, working-class town, escapes to Nottingham’s vibrant underworld on a quest of self-discovery and enlightenment.
And reviews have heaped praise on the new BBC drama. The Guardian called it ‘extraordinary’ and ‘a wild ride’, while the Independent applauded its ‘messy’ and ‘raw’ nature.
What is Freely?
Freely is a relatively new way to stream live and on-demand shows for free in the UK, with content from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.
It was launched in 2024 and replicates the terrestrial TV experience of browsing through a programme guide, but is accessed via WiFi. All on-demand content from apps such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX is also available in the app, and it allows viewers to pause and rewind live TV too.
Freely is completely free with a compatible TV. Hisense, Bush, Panasonic, Sharp and Toshiba are all manufacturers that currently sell TVs with the app — all you need to do is press the Freely button on your TV remote to open it.
What It Feels Like For A Girl is a new BBC series landing this month
What It Feels Like For A Girl was the title of Paris Lees’ 2021 memoir (Picture: BBC/Hera/Enda Bowe)
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Meanwhile, The Times hailed What It Feels Like For A Girl as ‘bingeable’ as well as ‘funny, heartbreaking, occasionally disturbing, sharply written and well acted’. The i called it ‘an absolute riot’.
Speaking exclusively to Metro, Howard, known for roles such as Red Rose (2022) and Help (2021), said Paris’ memoir ‘touched’ him, and made him feel ‘seen’.
‘I read the book, and I fell in love with it, and I couldn’t believe that they were making it into a BBC drama, warts and all,’ he explained. ‘I couldn’t believe it was gonna be on television, so I was desperate to be part of it in any way.’
Boasting a cast of fresh, vibrant talent, What It Feels Like For A Girl is keen to remind viewers of one simple yet poignant message — trans people have always existed and will always exist.
But it’s not the only LGBTQ+ story available on the streaming app at the moment.
What to watch on Freely this Pride Month
Lost Boys and Fairies, BBC iPlayer: A heartbreaking, joyous and musical tale of gay couple Andy and Gabriel’s journey to adoption.
Smoggie Queens, BBC iPlayer: A fiercely loving chosen family of LGBTQ+ friends from Middlesbrough navigate love, life, and their pride for a town that feels neglected.
Smoggie Queens is set in Middlesbrough (Picture: BBC/Hat Trick Productions/Matt Crockett)
Spent, BBC iPlayer: Inspired by Michelle de Swarte’s own life, this uplifting comedy drama follows model Mia, who may have a world-class skincare regime, but her career has crashed down to earth.
Juice, BBC iPlayer: Jamma’s on a quest for attention — from anyone. A trippy, comic joyride through chaotic family life and a literal stumble through love, starring Mawaan Rizwan and Russell Tovey.
I Kissed A Boy, BBC iPlayer: Pop goddess Dannii Minogue plays cupid in the UK’s first ever gay dating show. No small talk, no swiping — it’s all about the first kiss.
I Kissed A Girl, BBC iPlayer: You guessed it. Dannii Minogue plays cupid to ten singles in the ladies-only spin-off series from I Kissed A Boy.
I Kissed A Boy is the UK’s first ever gay dating show (Picture: BBC / Two Four Broadcast Ltd)
Danii Minogue returned to host I Kissed A Girl in 2024 (Picture: BBC/Twofour)
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, BBC iPlayer: UK drag queens battle it out to dazzle Mama Ru, the celeb judges and the amazing Michelle Visage in the hopes of emerging as the ultimate winner.
Mr. Loverman, BBC iPlayer: Barry is hiding a secret – but it’s not what his wife suspects. This is a life-affirming story about being true to yourself, starring Lennie James and based on the novel by Bernardine Evaristo.
In My Skin, BBC iPlayer: Bethan deals with the quiet heartbreak of an imperfect family and the awkwardly real anxieties of teenage life and sexuality in this bittersweet story with Welsh wit and grit.
Love, Victor, BBC iPlayer: A heartfelt high school tale of finding out who you are and coming out to the world, from the writers of 2018 film Love, Simon.
Love, Victor is set in the same world as the movie Love, Simon (Picture: 20th Television/Hulu/Kobal/REX)
Gentleman Jack, BBC iPlayer: In Halifax in 1832, Anne Lister shakes up her shabby ancestral home, determined to restore its fortunes and find herself a wife.
Changing Ends, ITVX: Between a dad managing a fourth division football club and friends ditching him for being camp, Alan wants to change. Should he go against his instincts and become a footballer?
Confessions of Frannie Langtern, ITVX: A powerful period drama about a young Jamaican woman who arrives in Georgian London. When a crime takes place, Frannie is accused. But is she to blame?
#MyPride, ITVX: Famous faces mark Pride by opening up about their experiences of being part of the LGBTQ+ community and writing poignant letters to their 14-year-old selves.
The Confessions of Frannie Langton is based on a novel of the same nack (Picture: ITV)
Butterfly, ITVX: 11-year-old Max begins to dress and live life as a girl. But when he wants to be known as Maxine, his father struggles to cope with the news.
Vicious, ITVX: Freddie and Stuart have been partners for nearly 50 years. As they host a wake to mark the passing of an old friend, they are joined by their new young neighbour upstairs, Ash.
Feel Good, Channel 4: Mae Martin stars as Mae in this comedy, who is recovering from drug dependence and navigating the modern-day world of love, addiction and sexuality.
Big Boys, Channel 4: Jack Rooke’s comedy follows two mismatched boys who strike up an unlikely friendship when they’re thrown together at university.
Jack, Danny, Corinne and Yemi become fast friends in their first year of university (Picture: Channel 4)
It’s a Sin, Channel 4: Critically acclaimed drama from Russell T Davies about a group of friends living in London in the shadow of the AIDS epidemic.
Queer as Folk, Channel 4: Set in and around the Manchester ‘scene’, this groundbreaking Channel 4 drama, written by Russell T Davies, documents the lives and loves of young gay men Stuart, Vince and Nathan.
Virgin Island, Channel 4: More people are remaining virgins for longer and, in this reality show, adults embark on a unique course to overcome their intimacy anxiety.
Freddie Mercury: In His Own Words, Channel 5: The story of Freddie’s career from his early days in Queen to the height of their fame.
Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, U: After coming out at age 14, teenager Jamie Campbell has faced his fair share of difficulties while growing up in an ex-mining village in County Durham. But now he’s attending his prom in drag.
What It Feels Like For A Girl is available on BBC Three, BBC iPlayer and Freely now.